Pearl Harbor

There's really not much to say about Pearl Harbor but I'll tell you what we did anyways! I was kind of excited to go there because I thought it would be interesting and maybe teach us about the history of Pearl Harbor, but it really wasn't interesting at all. We got there and it was really hot, but i guess what can you expect from Hawaii. We had to dress appropriately with closed toe shoes and we weren't allowed to wear clothes that weren't fully covering your upper body. So we weren't allowed to wear bathing suits, which sucked because we were used to wearing bathing suits all day because it was super hot. When we got there we watched this 30 minute video about why Pearl Harbor happened and the events of the bombing. When that was over we had a tour guide for our team and he took us through a submarine that showed us where the people stayed when they went in it and how small of a space it really was. Then they kind of just showed us around the park, then just let us go on our own to get some food and look at the souvenir shops. Honestly, the only thing i was really interested in at souvenir shop was chocolate bars. Actually, come to think about it, the only thing i liked about that whole tour was looking forward to eating after wards. We got taken on a boat as well across to this ship, and we could see all the fish in the water and the ship that got sunk at the bottom of the little bay! All we really did there was screw around and take pictures and complain about how we didn't want to be there. We had to be there for a full 3 hours, but by the time we got to leave everyone was SO happy. If you are really interested in history and about the war and why the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, you should go there, but if your like me and don't really care, don't go.


Outside Article:
The attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, took place on December 7th 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbour was called a "day of infamy" by President FD Roosevelt. It was to bring the United States of America into World War 2

The air attack was led by Commander Mitsuo Fuchida. The first wave of planes consisted of 183 fighters, bombers and torpedo bombers. It started its attack at 07.55 a.m. The second wave had 170 planes in it and attacked Pearl Harbour at 08.54 a.m.

They took off from the aircraft carriers Akaga, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Zuikaku and Shokaku. By the time the war ended, all six had been sunk by the Americans along with all the other Japanese capital ships involved in the attack.

The pilots in the first attack used a radio station’s mast near Pearl Harbour to home in on. The first casualties were 35 American servicemen who were having breakfast at the Army Air Forces’ Hickam Field - a 550lb bomb hit their dining hall.

The most serious casualty was the USS Arizona. One torpedo and eight bombs hit her, 1,760 lbs. of explosives, as she lay moored up at Ford Island Naval Station. One bomb is thought to have pierced the forward deck setting off over one million pounds of gunpowder. 1,177 men were killed on the Arizona alone.

Those who survived on the USS Nevada – moored directly behind the Arizona and badly damaged in the attack - claimed that the Arizona was launched up to ten feet into the air as a result of the huge explosion that tore her apart and sunk within nine minutes. One witness on the Nevada said that the Arizona was broken in two before she sunk. Along with the Arizona, the Utah and the Oklahoma never sailed again but all the other ships damaged in the attack did sail again once repairs had been successfully carried out.

Ships damaged or lost at Pearl Harbour

USS Detroit	Slight damage
USS Raleigh	Heavy damage
USS Utah	Capsized
USS Tangier	Slight damage
USS Medusa	Slight damage
USS Curtis	Moderate damage
USS Nevada	Heavy damage
USS Arizona	Sunk
USS Vestal	Heavy damage
USS West Virginia	Sunk
USS Oklahoma	Capsized
USS California	Sunk
USS Oglala	Sunk
USS Pennsylvania	Heavy damage
USS Downes	Heavy damage
USS Shaw	Heavy damage
USS Cassin	Heavy damage
USS Maryland	Slight damage
USS Tennessee	Heavy damage
USS Helena	Heavy damage